Preamp Advice Needed - Gryphon Amp - Currently ARC Ref5se


Hello
I am currently running an ARC Ref5se (which i had enjoyed with various ARC Ref amps).

I now have a Gryphon Antileon Signature amp.
In comparison find the set-up a little dark or rolled off in the highs.
I tried a PASS X2.5 in place of the Ref5se and the top end opened up.

Does anyone know of other pres which might match or surpass Ref5se qualities but help the Gryphon top end open up a little? SS or Tube.

Any thoughts would be very much appreciated.
rob67
@georgehifi
Im not sure how to PM on this site...
My amp has balanced inputs, do you make a balanced version of the Attenuator?
How did you connect to the EVO?
Great reviews.

@timlub 
Tim thank you for the SST recommendation.
I like what seems a wider bandwidth of the SS pre, although it is a bit brash sounding in comparison to the REF5se.
I am hoping a higher quality SS pre will have the best of both.
rob67 OP
How did you connect to the EVO?
I sent a PM to you Rob with my abbreviated email address.
Answer it using the email so I can send all the info, as I’m limited with what can be sent in PM’s.

Cheers George
rob67 OP
How did you connect to the EVO?


Hi Rob, you should now have an email with all the info on how it was all done with Edgar Kramer's Gryphon Antillion Evo/Alexia setup.

Cheers George

@rob67 The advantage of balanced operation is that you can avoid sonic attributes coming from the interconnect cable itself.
To achieve that, the output impedance of the source is very low. The other thing that is required is that the actual signal occurs between pins2 and 3 of the XLR, and ground is ignored.
When you do balanced any other way, such as with a passive volume control, you lose the primary aspect of going balanced, immunity to interconnect cables imposing a sound.

This is why it is possible for a good balanced preamp to be considerably more transparent and less colored than a passive control.